Shattered Glass
by Kenji's-cradle
Summary: Kaoru's life was like a shattering glass but when a red haired guy took her neither coercing her nor willingly, her life was never the same again.
1. The Meeting

**Disclaimer:** Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively. I'm using them for fun because I'm on of the enthusiasts of Nobuhiro Watsuki's creation. So please no SUING.

**AN:** I made a huge revision and I know…I update far too long. There is a major OOC here so enjoy

**_Italic – _in thoughts**

**"…"  - in words**

**Chapter 1 : The Meeting **

Laid in her futon, she thought about her miserable life. She never felt unsure and scared of what was to come with the man she loves. And now, she even started doubting her very own self, she felt as though Kami-sama is turning his back on her, her whole world is starting to crumble like a shattering glass after a fall, and doesn't know what to do anymore. She closed her eyes as memories flooded her mind, she remembered the time when he'd said his farewell to her, embracing her and whispering words of comfort and telling her without a doubt that he'll try to go back, back to her. She also remembered how she followed the ex-hitokiri battousai to Kyoto because she wanted to prove to him that her world is with him.

But now she wanted time to stop forever. She doesn't want the ceremony to continue this afternoon, even though it is what she whished for the past months or even years. Or perhaps someone, who is blessed enough, would take her away from her dojo as a means to an end to her wedding ceremony.

She could have laughed so hard at her foolishness about not marrying the ex-hitokiri battousai but that was what her heart told her, that was what her mind agreed on, and that was what her body wanted. Tears started to form in her eyes but she blinked it away.

She doesn't know if the consequences of being with him are the things stopping her in fulfilling her dreams. She couldn't imagine dying with the sword protruding inside her body as revenge for his past sins, or to give birth to their son all alone because he was dead from his enemies' sword. She smiled softly and touched her face with both hands as she shook her head in dismay. Then, there is also the contradicting emotions that permeated around them. Whenever he looks at her, his eyes shown love and admiration even though he never said those words to her, but when it comes to his actions towards her everything is a mess. He pats her as any brother would do to his sister, he embrace her as any father would do to comfort his daughter, and he would kiss her in the forehead as any grandfather would do to his scared granddaughter. And now, she's uncertain about his feeling as an egg being hatched in the day light.

"Am I truly in love with him? Is what I feel for him for the past two years is just an infatuation?" She asked herself, loathing her uncertainty and doubt about her future. She shook her head and blinked back the tears that are threatening to fall any minute. She took a deep breath to calm her chaotic emotions and thought about the outcome of their wedding. She knew that he'll be a good father, they will have lots of children, their family has a wonderful home to stay…..but what about those times when he have to go back to the past just to finish what he started, what about those times when danger is coming near and he can't stop it. She doesn't know anymore. She doesn't know if what she is doing is right or wrong, only one thing mattered…she's scared….scared of the outcome of their marriage, scared at path she was going to choose any minute now.

She rose in a sitting position on her futon, trying to calm her heart's thundering beat, and stared at her wedding kimono hanging on the window ledge, vertical from her position. It is totally so hard to accept that she will soon-to-be-wife of the ex-hitokiri this afternoon, _Why? Why do I have to feel this way? It is not fair! I hate it! I hate him! I hate myself for wanting to die alone_! She slid back down as her body tremble in helpless anger and sorrow. She placed her hand on her eyes, trying to shut out herself from the world, and wept brokenly. She tried to stifle her scream of agony but to no avail.

She heard footsteps coming toward her room, with slow and deliberate grace, she stood up and went to the mirror and brushed the remaining tears that were still clinging to her blue eyes.

After a minute or two, Megumi and Tae lightly knocked at her door, uncertain if she's a wake or still sleeping. They heard Kaoru's faint reply and they both smiled at each other and entered the room quietly. They saw her standing in her full height with so much bearing, they smiled knowingly and ushered forward until they were few steps away from her and what they felt is something akin to uncontrollable happiness and pride at their little Kaoru.

Kaoru look at them through her reflection, showing all the doubts, confusion, vulnerability, and other emotions that were hard to understand then they immediately notice the dull look at her eyes. A frown marred their forehead and shared a look at each other in a silent question of what to do. 

Kaoru resumed her preparation leaving the two other occupants of the room on their own. Tae was the first one who dispelled the tension around them, "What's wrong Kaoru? Is there something bothering you?" she asked, "You know you can tell us about it" Tae assured, trying to soothe the wild look in her eyes.

"Aren't you happy that you're going to be a wife now? Megumi asked blatantly as ever but softly

With their emotions showing, Kaoru's knees almost buckled, her body silently tremble with terror but she stayed her dull expression unwavering. She clenched her hands at her side until her knuckles turned white, she gritted her teeth in dread and she closed her eyes shut to stop the flow of tears. She doesn't want them to know that she is not and will not be happy about it. When she opened her eyes it was glazed with pain and it had a faraway look.

Tae became more worried at Kaoru's reaction; she closed the distance separating them and hugged her fiercely, "Kaoru it is all right. Nothing is going to happen to you. He will protect you, love you, and…" Tae trailed. She couldn't continue any further because Kaoru was giving her the coldest eyes Tae had ever seen.

"And what?" Kaoru asked faintly.

"And he will treasure you." Tae finished

Kaoru slowly bowed her head in defeat and her eyes were downcast, she opened her mouth in denial but no words came out it is as though all words were trapped inside her esophagus.

Megumi looked at them and smiled, but her smiled did not reached her eyes and her smile is as weak as Kaoru was. She shook her head placed her hands on her hips, "You two are not going to stand there forever. Kaoru is supposedly to be beautiful at her wedding not looking as though she was raped." She reprimanded Tae with sternness but gentle at the same time. Tae nodded and did what she was told. At first, they fretted at Kaoru's appearance but in the end they made her one of the most beautiful bride in the town.

"I heard that women tend to be emotional when it's their wedding day" Megumi broke out the silence that permeated the room. A pair of fox's ears appeared at her head while she laughed at her own joke. Tae glared at her and Megumi stopped laughing. Kaoru watch them cautiously from the mirror and groaned. _They look happy for me but why can't I be happy for myself? Why can't I just look like a happy bride…a happy bride?_ She thought miserably. When the two finished their work, Tae clapped her hands together and smiled sweetly at Kaoru. "Oh Kaoru you look beautiful and I think he will be proud to be your husband" Tae beamed at her. "I'm also proud of you" She hastily added

 "Yes he will be happy and be fulfilled to have you as a wife" Megumi said sweetly, clasping Kaoru's hands in her own.

           After their compliments, Kaoru, not leaving her gazes at her reflection, asked them to leave her for a while in her room. They nodded and left without a word giving her the privacy she needed. As the shoji door closed a mocking laughter escaped Kaoru's mouth then tears began to fall from her eyes and she didn't even bother to wipe them away. She collapsed on the floor and placed her hands on her face and wept uncontrollably. At that minute she wanted to die in peace.

------------------

A man in a black cloak walked quietly down the nearly dark hallway. He stopped and leaned on the wall with his foot propped against it. He took out a cigar from his pocket and placed it on his mouth, he lightened it, took a long puff before he removed it. "I have a job for you" he called out. His eyes were plastered on the cigar he was holding as he regarded the other man in the hallway.

"What is it?" A deep baritone voice rung out, clipped with deadly finality. His eyes were closed, his hands on his

pockets and his sword was on his side. He was leaning on the opposite wall from his friend and he was ten to fifteen paces away from one another.

A ghost of a smile hovered at the man's, in a black cloak, mouth "You have to kidnap the bride at the Kamiya dojo" he said dryly before he puffed another from his cigar.

"What does she looked like?" he asked implacably

"I gather, she's beauty but spitfire." He warned

"After that what will I do to her?"

"Do what you want. It doesn't matter if she dies or not." He looked at the other man and smirked, "You could sell her to the highest bidder or you could marry her yourself." His grin widened at the sudden flare of anger radiating from the other man, "You could also make her your slave, she's free and besides our action is our revenge to the ex-hitokiri." He turned around and left.

---------------

            _Run! _Kaoru's frightened mind screamed at her. Her eyes were full of dread as she stared at the man standing at the altar smiling at her. _You know that he doesn't own you and you doesn't belong to him! Run for Kami-sama's sake, Run!_

_            I can't! My body is working on its own. I can't…I can't stop it! _Kaoru answered herself in silent scream. _Kami-sama__, don't do this to me! I'll be a nun if you just do something. Don't let him have me! Don't let him!_ Kaoru raged at God while doctor Gensai let her towards him. __

"I can see she's vulnerable" Sano whispered to the ex-hitokiri battousai. "Man, you're one lucky guy to marry such beauty" he tapped the ex-hitokiri at the shoulder. The ex-hitokiri nodded in response.

           _She's mine at last after the entire pretense I had gone through,_ he smirked at the thought

           Everyone stared at her but she ignored them. _Take me now, kill me if you want but don't let me be his wife_ she talked to God. The ex-hitokiri extended his warm hand towards her; she stopped and stared at it for a while and took it with her cold and trembling hand. As the fingers intertwined, he tightened his hold and gave her a warm look with a promised of fulfillment.

           The priest began his ceremony while the guests looked at them with happiness in their eyes but a shout drew every body's attention but Kaoru, who doesn't care any longer. They all look at the rooftop of the dojo and was overwhelmed by the figure's chilling stare. Some women gawked at him but he kept his eyes on the bride.

Kaoru felt pure terror run down in the back of her spine; she stiffened and looked at him behind her shoulder. The groom tightened his hold on Kaoru and shouted at the intruder with fury and anger. "What do you want?" Instead of cowering, as the ex-hitokiri expected, the intruder roared back at him but his voice was deadly and chilling. The ex-hitokiri fury doubled and his eyes narrowed dangerously. _How dare him, to claim my bride as his! _He thought as his hands went to the hilt of the sword at his side separated himself from Kaoru and took a threatening step. _He will taste my wrath_ he swore fervently

           Kaoru's eyes widen at the intruder's words. _My prayer is answered after all._ She whirled around to look at the man standing on the roof of her dojo and almost leaped in merriment.

            The two men stared at each other before they attacked with speed but the advantage was on the intruder's side as he moved gracefully and stealthily like a panther. He was faster and more skillful than the ex-hitokiri. Their swords clashed at each other with many times before the intruder wounded the ex-hitokiri. The ex-hitokiri landed on his butt and was about to stood up but the intruder pointed the blade on his neck and whispered,  "One more move and you'll be dead!" He glared menacingly at the ex-hitokiri and went to Kaoru's side. Kaoru could only stare at him in amazement. She never thought that someone was faster than the ex-hitokiri and of course, no one would dare to fought with the ex-hitokiri for they fear his wrath. Her jaw dropped open as the intruder walked towards her. Kaoru backed up a step but he followed her step for step.

            _How could someone be faster then me?_ He murmured as he stood up but his wound on his stomach and legs prevented him. Sano and Yahiko was about to intervene when the intruder glared at them that sent terror in the back of their body. With one rapid motion, the intruder caught Kaoru at her waist. She screams but was cut off when he roughly tossed her at his shoulder like a sack of wheat. He jumped from the ground to the rooftop and stared at the guest and the groom sprawled on the ground.

"How dare you to touch what is mine?" The ex-hitokiri rage at him while Sano and Yahiko helped him to stand up.

"What _was_ yours ex-hitokiri but now she's mine" the intruder shouted went on his way with Kaoru kicking at his shoulder.

-----------

Jumping from roof to roof, _I thought it would be hard to get his woman but that was just easy, too easy in fact_" his thought was cut off when he smelled the fragrance of the woman. It was jasmine. Then he felt her chi rise up, _she's angry all right!_ He thought. He went in the direction of the woods so that the ex-hitokiri will take long before he found them

_I'm free at last_! She mentally shouted with happiness. Then she considered what has just transfixed that afternoon. _Did he really slash the ex-hitokiri? And his moves, his moves are faster than the ex-hitokiri. Is he human?_

"Yes I'm a human, if I'm not then you won't be in my shoulder" he answered callously. Black frown marred his forehead.

_Did he just answer my question? Oh Kami-sama, did I just said it aloud_? She squeezed her eyes tightly and scolded herself. The clip holding her hair gave way and raven mane tumbled down on his back, she wiped her face off from the cosmetics on her face with the back of her hand and she licked her lips and bit it to stop herself from screaming with delight.

"Will you stop squirming!" he commanded, voice was gruff, hard and frightening but it hadn't had any effect on her glorious mood. Instead of telling him that he shouldn't take that tone on her she hastily did what she was told just to placate the gruff man. "Will you loosen your grip, its killing me" She ordered with hardness in her voice too. He did not expect that reaction from her and he didn't like the audacity she had just showed but he could help himself to find her totally refreshing and amusing. Most women he encountered always cower before him and they never did what this girl has just done. He smiled in spite of his irritation and it took all his courage not to look at her.

           "Well?" She asked

"Well what?" He asked perplexed

"Aren't you going to loosen your grip, its killing me?" she gritted her teeth in exasperation as she repeated her request a while ago. She looked at his feet and was suddenly weary with every jump he took and every branch they land on. "Will you slow down, I'm getting dizzy" she requested

           The intruder did not acknowledge her request and continued his pace and his hold on her. When he heard her wrenching sound coming from her he did what he was asked and slowed down and jumped from a branch and landed on the ground. He released her with a thud and crouched down. "Ouch!" She cried in pain and continued, "You ungrateful toad! Mou is he a gentleman or what?" she asked herself in a near shout as though he wasn't there. She stood up and stretched as he started walking towards the clearing near a cave in the far side of the forest. He looked at Kaoru's stilled form sighed in frustration. He roughly grabbed her hands and hauled her towards the cave as she started shouting at him again.

"Stop it, you're hurting me!" she pleaded

Silence

"Please release me"

Silence

"Are you deaf?"

Silence

"You know what, you are undeniably exasperating! And to think…ouch!!!" She tripped from a large stone and collided at the man's back. Through out her bickering he hadn't shown any reaction until he felt her falling. He stopped from walking and used his back to catch her but he never looked at her. When she regained her footing he then resumed his pace towards the cave. When they got in, the man started to build a fire to light the dark cave and to ward off the chill. For the very first time, the man noticed her face. _She is really exquisite_ he thought, _and she has the face of an angel_. Her complexion was flawless, her blue eyes captivated him. Her black eyebrows were perfectly sculptured into soft arches, nose is magnificently straight, and her soft mouth was full, rosy, and damned appealing. He found himself bodily affected at her and he was instantaneously disgusted with himself. _He is a hired killer for Kami-sama's sake_ _and he has no time for weakness such as this temptation_. They remained silent for an hour then Kaoru spoke first.

"What is your name?" she asked shyly all of a sudden

Silence

"If I'm going to stay with you, I want to know the name of my companion."

Silence.

When she thought that he will not speak at all, he said his name in a hard tone.

"Kenshin, Kenshin Himura is my name."

**----------------------------------------------------------**

**A/N: so there what do you think? Please read and review!**


	2. The Start of their Pretense

**Disclaimer:** Rurouni Kenshin is the creation of Nobuhiro Watsuki, with the manga and anime rights belonging to Jump Comics and Sony Entertainment, respectively.

**A/N: This is the second chapter after almost a year of posting. I hope you'll love this. There might be some OOC there so enjoy.**

**_Italic – _in thoughts**

**"…"  - in words**

**Chapter 2 : The Start of Their Pretense**

-------------------------

"What is your name?" she asked shyly all of a sudden

Silence

"If I'm going to stay with you, I want to know the name of my companion."

Silence.

When she thought that he will not speak at all, he said his name in a hard tone.

"Kenshin, Kenshin Himura is my name."

-------------------------

            Kaoru looked at him through her eye lashes in wary as she sat down in the boulder near the entrance of the cave. She hugged her knees close to her chest and dropped her chin on it. She watched Kenshin as he started to build a fire to light the dark cave. Her stomach abruptly growled in hunger and her mind raced with questions about her current situation. _What am I going to do now? He held me captive but I look like a free woman. He doesn't look like a captor but he sure as hell a handsome one. Wait a second where did that come from?_ Her browns snapped together as she stared at the fire while playing with the hem of her kimono, struggling with every effort to calm her stomach. She looked at the other person, who was now sitting in an unfamiliar position, opposite from her and swallowed. "Kenshin…am…is there any food I could eat?" She started, uncertain of the amber eyes looking at her. Her body shivered from coldness and from his chilling eyes as though he was going to devour her right that minute.

            Kenshin looked at her and stood up. He tied the hilt of his scabbard on his side and removed his haori and tossed it at Kaoru's direction. "Wear it and don't call me Kenshin" he ordered in a low growl, his manner was turning cold and impassive "And if you are planning to escape, don't try it or you won't like the consequences I'll inflict upon you. Have I made myself clear?"

            Kaoru nodded silently not bothering to look at him but when she looked up, she saw him leaving, and panic rose up to her throat. "Wait, where are you going? I..I don't want to be left here all alone!" Because her mind was centered on Kenshin's departing form, Kaoru started to stand up but the hem of her kimono got trapped in her feet and she fell on the ground face first. She straightened immediately and started to laugh at her own foolishness, her cheeks darkened with color, her teeth were biting her lips in helpless mirth. She slowly stood up and tried to repair some semblance of order with her kimono, not bothering about her appearance, while she looked at her feet in shame.

            Kenshin stared at her and grinned, she was exasperating girl and clumsy too. He let out a sigh and said in his cold and hard tone, leaving no room for arguments. "I'm going to get some food, you stay here." He turned his back at her and proceeded outside. Kaoru stood there and sighed, "Well I'm going to sleep here, you go" She murmured, mimicking his tone a while ago. She sat down and tucked her legs inside the fold of her Kimono and covered herself with his haori._ I can't comprehend why I find that arrogant captor handsome at all! Of course he has red hair, amber eyes, sexy body, he is pleasant to look upon…no not pleasant but he is beautiful to look upon. But Kami-sama with those looks I can't believe he is as arrogant, barbaric person who you can't predict his mood! Why, if I'm his wife, I would have thrown myself at the nearest river. _She shivered from her unprincipled thoughts and smiled as leaned back on the cold stone. She rubbed her hands together and closed her eyes, exhaustion covered her and she fell asleep immediately.

            Kenshin started walking down the eerie forest, as quietly as possible, to hunt food for his captive, he shook his head at the sudden thought occurred to him_, I looked as though I was the slave_. His hunt went well for another hour as he sauntered back to the cave. He saw her slumped on the floor like a wet rag and cotton ball. Her knees were enclosed in a tight hug and her head was rested on the cold stone while his haori was her blanket. Kenshin took out small twigs from his arms and placed it across the flame that made a perfect roasting place. He placed their supper on the twig and started to cook it. The aroma got on Kaoru's growling stomach making her eyes slowly opened and Kenshin was the first thing she saw in an almost dark cave.

            Kenshin looked at her and nodded, telling her without a doubt that he was successful in his hunt. Kaoru rose from her sleeping position and sat opposite from him. She unconsciously licked her lips in hunger and stared at the meal in front of her. She waited patiently while she started wringing her hands with the tension that suddenly creeping between them. She opened her mouth to form a good conversation but from the look he was giving her, she clumped it instead. After a while, Kenshin offered her the first meal that was cooked. Kaoru took it graciously and started eating it, not bothering about her captor's sake. Her eyes lit with joy as she tasted the delicious food in her hand. She chewed it silently as she looked Kenshins's hard and indomitable face. "What's this?" She pointed the meat she was eating.

"It's rabbit!" Kenshin answered calmly while Kaoru clamped her mouth with her hands as her stomach lurched in protest. "Haven't you eaten a rabbit before?" Kenshin asked, amused by her pale face.

Kaoru shook her hands and swallowed the food and took a deep breath, "Can I have some water?" she asked softly. Kenshin tossed a jug of water at her and she caught it easily. Her mind dug for a better conversation when it landed on the last thing she could ever think about, "Why did you kidnap me?" Kaoru blurted out abruptly.

            Kenshin stared at her; it didn't take him so long just to know that she switched to another topic. "It is none of your concern, woman" Kenshin answered, the scowl on his face was threatening and Kaoru almost regretted her sudden question. Kenshin's eyes narrowed at the girl, _Is__ she timid? I could scare her easily!  _He thought angrily

            Kaoru looked at his eyes and almost snorted out loud, _He look murderous all right, was he thinking that I could be a very delicious feast right this minute? Oh Kami-sama, I would hate to loose my body parts…Kaoru why the heck are you scared anyway. You just got out of your fiancé's clutches and you should celebrate. You are Kaoru Kamiya, successor of the Kasshin Kamiya Fighting Technique and no one can make you cower so easily. _Kaoru said to herself and smiled sweetly at him. Her ki suddenly changed from scared to undeniably bold and daring. "I really want to know why you kidnap me." She insisted, she trussed her chin up in defiance and looked at him straight in the eye. She looked serene as she sat on the floor in her bridal kimono while her hair cascaded down her back like free water in the river but her hands were clenching and unclenching on her side.__

            "Very well, I kidnapped you with every intention of selling you to the highest bidder or to kill you without mercy or to make you my slave or to be my wife instead." Kenshin answered her with truth, searching her face for a sign of fright or terror but what he saw was something he didn't expected: Fury and disbelief.

            Kaoru stood up and looked at him with. "I am no one's slave! And you can't sell me because you do not own me!" She seethed, "And about the matrimony, I'd rather die first than to become your wife!" She shouted at him, she forgot all about her hunger as she turned around placed her food back on the twig and walked towards the far corner of the cave. She looked at him behind her shoulder and whispered threateningly, "If you try to rape me…you'll find yourself dead." She lay on the hard cold stone and tried to close her eyes.

            Kenshin stared at her and smiled at the threat she just gave him. _Don't worry, my little captive, before I rape you I'll kill myself for being out of my mind to consider you._ He thought sarcastically. He rose and doused the fire until the cave became pitch black. Kenshin sat down on the entrance of the cave and place his sword at his shoulder and closed his eyes.

            "Do you see him, Aoshi?" A young girl asked him with impertinence as she scanned the place like a hawk. She climbed on a thick branch and looked at him.

            "Misao, will you go down from that branch?" He ordered

            Misao looked at him and pouted, "You cannot be serious! I heard Kenshin has a mission and that he would kidnap a bride. I want to know if she is beautiful and I doubt I will like her. What do you think Aoshi?" she looked at the dark forest again and smiled at the beauty before her.

            "I think you are being stupid." Aoshi said icily and left her.

            Misao climbed down and hurriedly followed him, "Oh come on Aoshi, I just want to have a friend. All my life I was dressed like a boy, act like a boy, walked like a boy. And the only thing I wanted right now is to meet the first woman that will become my friend."

            Aoshi looked at her and cursed silently. He stopped and took hold of her shoulder, "Misao….." He trailed off while Misao looked at her expectantly. Her eyes were gleaming with mischief as she stared up at him. "Yes…?" she imitated him.

            "Kenshin could have done something to her right now and you might not see her at all." Aoshi said.

            "If that is the case, pray Aoshi because I won't talk to you!" She removed his hands from her shoulder and walked out. Aoshi stared at her and shook his head.

            Kaoru opened her eyes and squinted from the light coming from the opening of the cave. She lifted herself up on her elbow and jerked her head from left to right and slowly laid back and went back to sleep. Kenshin looked at her and squatted down until he was mere inches from her and nudged her awake. Kaoru was too busy trying to go back to sleep so she batted his hands away from her and snuggled comfortingly on the haori beneath her.

Kenshin growled low in his throat and picked her up and went outside towards the creek, hidden behind the trees. When he reached the bank he dropped her on the water and walked away. Kaoru was instantly awakened from the cold water. She screamed and started to stand up hastily, but her gown ripped up to her thighs, "You bloody, Ken---" she remembered that she can't call him by his name, she replaced it by something instead, "Captor!" she screamed at him and started to stand up slowly.

"I, woman?" he asked, with exaggerated look of innocence on his face while he propped himself against a tree and stared at her

"Yes you!" she raged, "One of these days… I'll get you for this!" she fervently vowed through clenched teeth.

Kenshin laughed at her and turned his back at her, "You can try woman. I'll be looking forward to that" He left her without any other word and started to hunt for their next meal.

Kaoru smiled wickedly and mumbled, "Try me, Captor, just try me." She walked to the banks and stripped her wet clothes and hanged it in a low branch and went back to the water for a swim. After half an hour, Kenshin returned on the cave and looked for his captor and when he found her nowhere, he cursed silently and went down towards the creek. There he found her, naked with her glorious body facing him as she sat on a stone wringing the water from her hair. She straightened out and went to her almost dry kimono and wore it immediately. She then started to go back to the cave when she found a small dog or a pup lying underneath a tree. She approached it slowly and crouched down, Kenshin started to shout his warning when Kaoru patted the dog with infinite care while he waded his tail at her. Kenshin came charging at her and hauled her to her feet. "What are you doing with that dog?" He asked murderously

            "The dog was hurt or wounded or anything. Why do you care anyway?" She asked, jerking her arms from his tight hands.

            "Because if there is going to be any killing, I'm the one who is going to kill you not that damn dog!" He answered, enunciating every word in a mocking rage.

            Kaoru could only stare at him and shook her head "He is just a pup Captor, he won't bite neither will he kill me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to help this dog instead of talking to you," She picked it up as she marched back towards the cave. Kenshin stared at her and rolled his eyes heavenward. _Nuisance!!!_

They spent the rest of their afternoon inside the cave. Kenshin sat down, looking at her in a wary dismay as she played with pup. Unable to stand the silence any longer, Kaoru announced that she and the dog will be going out for a while; she stood and went outside, leaving an infuriated Kenshin.

Kaoru put the puppy down looked at him as she sat down on the ground, "What will I name you?" She asked no one in particular. She placed her pointing finger on her forehead and tried to think while the dog sat on her legs, rolling on his stomach and licked Kaoru's other hand. "I knew it. I'll call you Snowie because of your white and black fur or I'll name you after my friend, Sano. It's between the two." She looked at the dog and smiled at him sweetly. "I've decided that I'll call you Sano" The puppy barked in agreement and the two started playing with in their own world. Kenshin watched the exchange from a distance. _She has her way with animals_. He shook his head at the sudden conflicting emotion he felt and cursed under his breath as he turned his back at them and went to farther part of the cave to practice with his sword.

When she arrived Kenshin could only stare at her, he didn't talk to her or bring himself to a good conversation. He just sat opposite form her  as though nothing happened and silence permeated again.

After an hour, Kenshin decided that they have to leave the cave because it is too dangerous to stay there. Kaoru could only nod at him as she grabbed the sleeping Sano and placed her in the arms like a baby as they started to walk away from the cave.

"Where are we going?" Kaoru asked. She clutched her torn kimono with the other hand while she held the dog with the other as followed him, treading down the forest. When no words came from him she decided to ask again, but silence is still his respond, she asked for the third time there is still no answer from him. Kaoru thumped her foot in frustration and rolled her eyes. They walked for three hours and when Kaoru was about to start screaming like a demented waif for bloody mercy, Kenshin stopped to a nearby cottage. He knocked and was greeted by an elderly man.

"Oh it is you my boy, what are you doing here?" The old man asked in a hoarse tone

"I did some errands." Kenshin answered

"Oh yeah, Katsu visited me yesterday and he told me you will kidnap a young girl and you might sell her." The man said with so much delight as he looked at Kaoru's sorrowful condition. He nodded towards her and looked back at Kenshin. "Is she the girl you are going to sell?" He asked, suddenly interested.

Kenshin was about to answer when he felt Kaoru glare at him and stepped beside him as though they were equal. "Mister," Her attention was centered on the elderly old man grinning like a lunatic at her, "I think you are mistaken for Kenshin will never sell me!" She said, using for the second time her captor's name, glaring all the while at Kenshin's back then she glared at the other man too.

The older man looked at her and asked, "Why won't he sell you?"

"Because he owns me. I am Kenshin Himura's wife." She said with lot of conviction.

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A/N. So how was that? I hope you loved it and please review and read thank you for the reviewers I'm sorry I cannot respond to you for now. o


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